Shri Vidisha Tirth

    Vidisha city was earlier called as Bhelsa. The station is also called as Vidisha. It was well known as Bhailswamighad, Bhadrapur, Bhadilpur, and Bhadrilpur in ancient times and also has been the capital of Darshan country. Hence Bhailswamighad Bhadlipur etc., must have been its parts. It is situated in the banks of Vetravatie (Vetva).Sri Sheetalnath Bhagwan’s three Kalyanak’s (Chyavan, Janm and Diksha) in Bhadlipur is also situated here. According to another opinion there has been a reference of these Kalyanaks also been situated in Hatvaria in the district of Gaya in Bihar. The Moksha place and Tapobhoomi is in the hills near Gaya. This is merely a subject of research. But looking at the temples idols and artistic relics and various references, it is evident that this is an ancient place.According to a reference, this teerth was visited by Sri Neminath Bhagwan, and Sri Mahavir Bhagwan was here for his fifth chaturmas. The palace of King Samprati also existed here. During Lord Mahavir Bhagwan’s Chaturmas, SrI Jeevit-swami’s idol made of Gosheersh Sandal which was given by Vidhyunmali Dev was here. It was also visited by Arya Mahagiri and Suhasthagiri for the worship of this idol. Acharya Sri Hemchandra-charya who gave religious discourse to King Kumayal has mentioned that the idol was decorated princely. According to Sri Umakant Shah, this idol was made somewhere during the year 561 B.C. According to another belief, this has also been with the King of Ujjain Chandapradhyotan as well as Sindhusowvir’s King Udapan. But nobody knows today as to which temple has this ancient idol.Just four Kilometers away from here in a part of Udaygiri hills of mount Vindhyachal. Which is 2 Kms long and 350 ft high, there are 20 caves, which are amongst the ancient caves of the country. The first and the last cave are related to Jain religion which have the idols of various Jineshvar Bhagwants and Yaksha. Yakshi in various forms and aasons. Sri Parshvanath Bhagwan’s idol in the last cave is dainty artistic and impressive. It was sanctified by Sri Shankar in the year 106 who happens to be the son of Goushara who defeated courageous Mahasubha of Aryakul. The idols of Sri Sheetalnath Bhagwan and Sri Suparshvanath Bhagwan in the same cave is also quite impressive.Apart from all these, there are also ancient temples at different places nearby. Of late, idols have been founded near Udaygiri hills.In Stavarth hill nearby, Arya Vajraswami with his 500 disciples, attained Nirvana.There is no doubt that in an important place like this, many temples must have been constructed. But today, we get to see only parts of these temples as they must have got destroyed or buried as found in many place.The importance of this place is the three Kalyanaks (Chyvan, Janm and Diksha) of Sri Sheetalnath Bhagwan, situated here. There is also a Swetamber Temple of Sri Vasupujya Bhagwan and ten Digamber temples. There is a Digamber as well as Swetamber Dharamshala along with a bhojanshala.